Gdansk History Overview

Gdansk was born in 980 when the Polish Duke Mieszko set up a settlement in a fortress. Officially it was founded as a town in 997. It was given city status in 1224. By 1235 its population had doubled to 2000 and merchants from Bremen & Lubeck moved to the area and developed the port to trade with Scandinavia. In the 14th century after a series of battles it was renamed Danzig by the Germanic hierarchy who prevailed. Danzig was annexed to Prussia in 1793 and remained a part of Prussia – later within Germany.At the end of WW1, post the Treaty of Versailles, it was declared a free city within Poland and over the next two decades 20,000 Poles moved to the region.

In 1939 Hitler demanded that the Polish authorities hand the sovereignty of Gdansk to The Third Reich. As this demand was ignored Hitler invaded Poland on Setpember 1st and WW2 followed. At the end of WW2 in 1945 the Russian Red Army defeated Hitler but the liberating forces became occupying forces as Moscow installed a commuinist regime.

Though its Polish population already referred to it as Gdansk it was not until 1950 that a Polish East German treaty acknowledged its original name and its Polish status.

In 1980 Gdansk once again attracted international attention when The Solidarity Movement became the first independent union movement under Communism. This movement, which was borne out of labour unrest in the state controlled shipbuilding industry, was recognised by the new Polish Government and within a decade be a key factor in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.

Economically the most recent development is the North Port is a centre for coal exports and petroleum imports. The older area the Nowy Port is more industrial – processing food, chemical and timber alongside traditional shipbuilding.

Sightseeing & Attractions in Gdansk

Gdansk is made up of three urban areas – itself, Gdynia & Sopotdansk. It is a historic city with so much to offer inquisitive tourists who are intrigued and fascinated by culture, history and religion. There are many museums to visit with some chronicling the history of this great nation as well as the rest of Europe and the world. Museums which primarily focus on modern and ancient art and historical landmarks many of which had to be reconstructed after being destroyed by the Nazi’s who wreaked merciless destruction on Poland during the second world war. This town which has suffered many trials and tribulations through the ages and now has a remarkable story to tell tourists who are likely to fall in love with the charming Polish city on the Baltic coast.

Polish Maritime Museum, Gdansk Gdynia Aleja Jana Pawla II This national treasure is regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful sailing ships. It was the breeding ground for heroic Polish captains and navigators. They call the ship the ”White Frigate”. The vessel was built in 1909 in the German city of Hamburg. You can enter the ship and view the captains headquarters, the Poop Deck and the Engine room. A Gdansk Tourist Card entitles you to free entry aboard the ship. Opening hours are Tues-Sun 10 am till 4 pm in the spring and 10 am till 6 pm in the summer. they are closed in December. A regular ticket costs 8 PLN and a discount ticket is 5 PLN. website http://www.cmm.pl/

Main Town Hall Gdansk 80-831 ul Dluga 46/47 – This Gothic renaissance building is home to the Gdansk history museum. The Town Hall’s legacy dates back to the middle ages when it became the City’s centre of economical and governmental power. The Town Hall wielded this kind of power and influence for a few hundred years. Gdansk historian claims that the buildings construction began back in the spring of 1327 and was completed at the end of 1336. There are regular exhibitions at the venue, chronicling the history of this fascinating city. There is also a sightseeing gallery in the Tower for tourists and locals to take in tremendous views of the city from 50 metres in the air. website http://www.mhmg.pl

St Catherine’s Church, Gdansk Old Town ul Profesorska 3 tel no:4858-301-15-95 – The Church is the oldest in the city dating all the way back to the 1220’s. It is the Old Town’s biggest monument and was originally a Protestant Church for 400 years between 1545 and 1945. Shortly after the Second World War it transformed in to a Roman Catholic Church. One of its main attractions is the Iconic painting Of Christ entering Jerusalem which is on the left hand side. much revered astronomer Johannes Hevelius buried in the Church graveyard and he has an 18th century epitaph above the grave. The main attraction is 76 Baroque tower which has a bell which chimes every hour on the hour. Open 10 am till 3 pm and 8 am till 1 pm on Sunday’s.

Gdansk Prison Tower and Torture Chamber, Gdansk Targ Weglowy 26 [- The Prison Tower and torture Chamber began life back in the 14th century. The site was rebuilt by architect Antoni Van Obbergehn between 1593 and 1604. The smaller building became the torture tower whilst the significantly larger building housed the prison. There were thousands of executions carried out on the site until the mid 18th century. Like many of Poland’s historical landmarks it was severely damaged during the second world war and but was then extensively renovated and is now home to Gdansk’s Amber and Torture museums. A Ticket should cost you just 1 ZL.

Laznia Centre of Modern Art, 80-767 Gdansk Jaskolcza 1Laznia displays contemporary Polish and international art works. There is a diverse range of original and eccentric masterpieces on show here. the centre is made open to the public and artists to discuss culture and programmes taking place at the Laznia. It’s a cultural epicentre which hosts film presentations, educational workshops and concerts. Entry fee varies depending on the event. website http://www.laznia.pl/

The Crane Gdansk ul Szeroka 67/68 – The image of the Gdsansk Crane is synoymous with this beautiful city. The Crane, built in 1444 is located over the infamous Motlawa River and back in the medieval era it was utilized to handle cargo and used as a City Gate to protect Gdansk from unwelcome intruders. The Crane today acts as a stunning backdrop to the interesting National Maritime Museum. Open July to August 10.30 am till 6.30 pm Tuesday to Friday 10 pm till 4 pm during winter and Autumn months. Sundays are free admission days.website http://www.cmm.pl/

Post Office Museum Central Gdansk 80-839 Plac Obroncow Poctzy Polskiej The Post Office Museum is steeped in history and has many a tale to tell. Polish Post originated in 1920 after the treaty of Versailles. You may wonder why a Post Office is so fascinating but it was actually the site of one of the first battles of the Second World War. Local Poles were attempting to defend their post office which brought about an attack from the Nazi’s. All of the Office workers were brutally murdered without an opportunity to defend themselves. This Museum was opened in the late 1970’s to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the atrocities committed by the evill nazis. Free Admission website http://www.mhmg.gda.pl/

Gdansk History Museum 80-551 Gdansk ul Stara Twierdza – This museum began life back in the 14th century and in 1482 the Stone Tower was constructed. This Polish landmark was decimated by The Nazi’s during the second world war and was only partly restored in the 1960’s. You can take a in-depth look in to the Councillor’s private chambers and witness the beauty of 16th and 17th century furniture and silver pieces. There are exhibitions which show what life was like in city before the Nazi invasion in 1939.Open till 3 or 4 pm on most days and admission is free on Monday’s. Entry price is 10/5 zl and a family ticket will set you back about 20zl. website http://www.mhmg.gda.pl/

St Mary’s Church, ul Krowia Gdansk Main Town Construction began on this religious landmark in 1343 but was not completed until almost 160 years later in 1502. It has a large squat Tower which is an estimated 80 metres high. The architectural design is brick Gothic and between 1577 and 1945 it was used as a Lutheran place of worship. The church has a capacity of as many as 25,000 people. Like so many other historical buildings St Mary’s was destroyed by the oppressive Nazi regime during the Second World War. The resurrection of this cathedral saw it rechristened as a centre of the Roman Catholic religion. The delightful interior is decorated with Baroque and Gothic Renaissance paintings. Opening hours are 9 am till 5.30 pm and 1 pm till 5.30 pm on Sunday’s. Admission price is cheap at 3 Zl and 1.5 ZL for the Tower. website http://www.bazylikamariacka.pl/

The Golden Gate Gdansk [Zlota Brama] ul Dluga The majestic Golden Gate was built in an Italian Renaissance style back in 1612. The gate is decorated with different symbols all representative of something. The different symbols represent peace, wealth, freedom, fame Harmony, fairness and piety. It is one of the city’s most popular attractions and was erected between 1612 and 1614. Dutch architect Abraham Van Den Blocke designed the gate in a Dutch manierism style. Unsurprisingly the gate was destroyed by the Nazi army in the Second World War and wasn’t rebuilt until 1957.

The Irish Pub is in the basement. of GdanskTown Hall

Restaurants In Gdansk Traditional Gdansk dishes can be found at Pod Lososiem and The Taverna is Gdansk’s finest fish restaurant. Other good places to eat but less expensive are Smok and Tao-Tao.

Crime And Personal Safety & Security In Gdansk Violent crime is rare Be aware of street crime, pick pockets and avoid walking alone late at night in badly lit streets as there have been isolated incidents of muggings in areas popular with tourists. As credit card fraud is on the increase do not let your cards out of sight. Some tourists are approached by criminals posing as plain cloth police officers who ask for credit card detail as proof of ID.

Thieves may hang about ATM’s, and on public transport especially at main railway stations.Many thefts occur when you board or leave a train. There is also a high risk of theft on sleeper trains. Do not accept food or drinks from strangers as they may be spiked in order to rob you.

Famous Citizens Of Gdansk Gdansk has been the home to several internationally famous people. These include physicist Gabriel Fahrenheit, writer Gunter Grass, philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, the astronomer Johannes Hevelius and most recently the former leader of the Solidarity Movement Lech Walesa who later become Polish President.